Fuji SLM 2.4 Carbon MTB

Hi guys, I currently have 2014 trek xcal 8, its a good bike... but now I want lighter carbon bike... I saw this in store this weekend... Fuji SLM 2.4... carbon frame its on sale for $1499 plus I got $300 rewards credit for future purchase from the bike shop. What other carbon bike in this price range can I get? the link is here.. Fuji SLM 2.4 LE Mountain Bike - 2015 - Performance Exclusive

Fuji Bikes | MOUNTAIN | CROSS COUNTRY | SLM 29 2.5 DISC
The geo is basically the same as a Giant XTC with 71* head tube angle and short 430mm chainstays.
This can be twitchy when you hit bumps on downhills and ruts anywhere. Close concentration on your front tracking is a style that fits this geo.
This is different than Trek's more stable but good turning geo of your X-Cal.
I'd save up 500 more for a SF 9.6.

the trek xcal is 33lbs... the Fuji slm is 26lbs... so i can feel the weigh difference...

EB1888, the SF 9.6 is listed at $2299... almost $1000 more with the store credit from performance bikes...

You can negotiate with a manager only(sales guys aren't allowed) for cash and get that down below 2k. At the level you will get to with this bike I would consider it a long-term purchase. The Trek carbon SF has engineered rear compliance that can make a fs unnecessary depending on your terrain. You won't need an fs for comfort. You do need to get the Expert XR1s swapped to the higher volume Team XR1 2.2s as part of any deal.
And whatever, ride the Fuji on trail to evaluate the geo.

It's fairly short gearing (36/22), but it'll climb well. X7 is just OK for that price range, but the PG1030 cassette is really solid, and X7 is quite decent for budget stuff. The fork is pretty awesome for a cheap setup (not the lightest, but it's a lot better than some of the RockShox placeholder stuff the rest of the Fuji/PerfBike stuff can end up with.
The wheels are likely a bit on the flexy side -- but they should be really quite light. That's going to be a fair bit of the weight savings.
The cockpit (Oval concepts) again is where a fair chunk of weight savings is coming from.
The frame is probably only a 1lb savings over an equivalently sized aluminum one, but the stiffness is pretty solid.

In a lot of ways my DB Overdrive Carbon is a really similar offering (again, Performance bike), at the exact same price point: I'd say the drivetrain and wheels on the DB are better for bigger or harder riders, the heavy but comparatively stiff ReconTK Silver probably the same applies, but that Manitout is outright better. I would say the drivetrain made some slight concessions, but in all honestly if you really wanted to save a ton of weight, just drop a clutch RD, narrow/wide chainring, and a 40 or 42T big ring on there and it would be a really quick lightweight bike if you're not using the extreme gear range.

The wheels are the biggest short term concession if you're a bigger rider - 2.25" wheels on an i19 are going to be a bit tricky to run ideally if you're north of 200lb, but since it's using the 15x100 and 12x142mm through axles, new wheelsets are going to be pretty solid if you find them at the right price.

I know this is an old thread but I picked up a 2015 SLM 2.4 from Performance last week for $1000. Last one they had and it was marked $1350...mgr agreed to $1000 so I walked out with it. Already looking at upgrades but I was riding a 2006 Haro V5 Aluminum with XT. This is MUCH better and it climbs like a fiend.

I know this is an old thread but I picked up a 2015 SLM 2.4 from Performance last week for $1000. Last one they had and it was marked $1350...mgr agreed to $1000 so I walked out with it. Already looking at upgrades but I was riding a 2006 Haro V5 Aluminum with XT. This is MUCH better and it climbs like a fiend.

Deals like this are exactly why this bike makes perfect sense for somebody who would otherwise want to build frame-up... instead, they get a frame and enough usable parts that they can ride it hard, decide what really needs to be upgraded, and start replacing those with top end parts out of the box.

With better tires, a cockpit that fits me, and a saddle I proceeded to put 800 miles on mine, ranging from chasing down lycra-clad roadies to bombing down serious all-mountain terrain.

The Fuji SLM with a helping of overseas open-mold carbon fibre wheels and the right tires (Maxxis ArdentRace/Ikon is hard to beat) is going to be a veritable rocket ship, and at a price well under the $2500 offerings from big box shops.
If you're willing to play the $1 = -1gram game from that point, you can throw on some cockpit parts (the Forte Carbon Bars, Sweep Ti seat [which appears to be a license-made Charge Knife with a perineum cutout], spring for a Renthal Apex stem, and find an old XO 2x crankset) and hit some seriously impressive lightweight figures with zero performance loss.